<p>Question: My son is hoping to apply to Stanford, Columbia, Yale and Northwestern. He has a 36 composite ACT and a 4.4 weighted GPA (on a 4.0 scale). He has completed 4 AP classes up to this point and earned 5′s on all of the exams. We recently received his senior year schedule. Fall includes [...]</p>
<p>We have a similar concern- my daughter opted for AP Physics over AP Environment, and AP French over AP Stat as encouraged by her guidance counselor as it’s “more demanding and looks better”, even though her interests are far more related to environmental issues, and she hates French (actually, her French teacher). Our fear was/is that the guidance counselor would check off the “very”, not the “most” demanding box!</p>
<p>involvedobserver–I hear far too many stories like yours. Your daughter’s schedule changes are understandable, but it pains me that we have created a system that makes them so.</p>
<p>Ugh, involvedobserver-- that just makes me mad! Two AP courses chosen only for their difficulty, when there are 2 other APs your D would really be interested in? I think the GC is wrong, and that it’s worth talking further at least. I understand that rigor is important-- but these are VERY fine distinctions. </p>
<p>My D is taking music theory instead of AP language this year-- music theory is MUCH harder than language for her, and she knows it will be tough, but it’s really important to her to study it. She knows it will be judged “less rigorous” --though for her that’s not true.</p>
<p>involvedobserver, why don’t you just ask the guidance counselor which box they would check if your D took the preferred schedule. You might not need to play the game after all!</p>
<p>That’s one thing I worry about too. D1 took 2 AP classes last year (Junior yr) and will take 3 next year. Partly because she moved back from England last summer (we spent the previous two years there in the British system) and wasn’t sure if she could do more and partly because she is not enamored of American History or other social studies type classes. I tried to prod her a bit, but it’s her life, her time to spend on these classes. Her dream school is Rice University and she has a 35 ACT composite, 3.94 uw and is in the top 8.5% of her class. Will this kill her chances? I know she’s smart and will do well in College.
I think I’ll have her check with her GC too, although he doesn’t know much about her. Or anyone else at her school.</p>
<p>BTW, they were AP Calc BC and AP Language. She scored 5’s in both tests.</p>
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<p>Not at all!</p>
<p>@2girlsmum: It is my impression that Rice weighs heavily on ACT/SAT scores, and the on campus interview.</p>
<p>Hi, Ms. Sally Rubbenstone,
I’m a high school senior, and quite honestly, I think my schedule is a bit unchallenging compared to many I’ve seen on this board. I have four classes during the day (AP Micro Econ, Honors Art, Honors Language, AP English) because I have an internship at a major newspaper that takes up half of the schedule. My question is, will my senior schedule prevent me from getting into the Ivies, granting everything else I’ve been doing is good enough for admission? (I’ve talked with my counselor and a few college students thoroughly before making the decision, and taking the internship was their suggestion.)
p/s: Oh and those classes: Micro, Art, and English I need to take to graduate. Language is my third year, since I think it’d be nice to follow thru. Thus, I don’t have any room in my schedule to have any more AP Math and Science classes even though they were included in my original schedule request.</p>
<p>therage–Unfortunately, despite the fact that you’re pursuing your interests, the absence of math and science classes in your senior schedule will be noticed by admission committees and could work against you. This isn’t a sure-thing deal-breaker but probably a tick in the “minus” column. However, I’m not seeing this schedule as they will be … in the context of your entire high school program. Maybe you’ve already taken AP’s in several sciences, or calculus on a college campus, etc. I also don’t know exactly what you do at your newspaper internship. </p>
<p>But, in general, despite the party line that you’ll get from most elite college officials about following your heart and pursuing your passions, if your transcript each year doesn’t include science and math classes (or at least a hefty dose of one of those areas) then it might hurt your admission odds at the most hyper-selective places.</p>
<p>Thanks for answering, Ms Rubenstone.
I have sent a private message to you. If you have time, please take a look at it. Thank you again.</p>